Cowardice or common sense?
by Breizhonat
Summary: One chapter story Was it the only way Harry and Ginny could get to know each other better? Did it have to come to this?


Cowardice or common sense?  
  
It was hot and the sun was shining with all its strength, bright and powerful. It was such a lovely day. If the surroundings had been a bit more silent, one could have heard birds singing and the light rustle of the foliage of the near-by trees. But it was noisy and somehow, no-one in the Wizards' world had the heart to take advantage of any of this. In fact, they couldn't care less, for what was happening, was the only thing in people's mind.  
  
The War.  
  
The end was drawing nearer each day, the Wizard population was being wiped out. Hordes of Deatheaters were taking on the weak, on the injured, the elderly, the children...... No-one was spared, nobody who had dared to set opposition to Voldemort could escape. Friends, relatives, neighbours to these opponents were slaughtered without pity.  
  
To this day, very few had survived, and those who did kept on fighting and battling, having no other choice but to carry on.  
  
How did he manage to still being alive? How on Earth could he have kept fit and strong after all that have happened?  
  
While he was at Hogwarts, he remained safe. He and his fellow students were constantly under the outstanding protection of the teachers and Albus Dumbledore. And indeed, the school's protective spells were strong enough to hold on against the Deatheaters' numerous assaults.  
  
Hogwarts stayed up for many years before eventually giving itself up, not able to resist any longer. Harry Potter had finished studying a couple of years before that, but had remained there for safety, for the outside world was being taken over by the unstoppable Voldemort. When the school was finally defeated, there was no place left to hide, no other choice but to go on and fight.  
  
Many of people Harry had known and encountered were gone. Many had battled bravely, but didn't survive. As years passed, the Deatheaters ranks had grown, joined by numerous people fearing for themselves and their relatives. Very few remained faithful to their ideas and their believes. As a result of this, the "anti-Voldemort" troops were out-numbered, growing weaker and weaker after every assaults and battles.  
  
~~~~~~~  
  
"Ginny!" shouted Harry, running towards the young woman. He grabbed her arm firmly and pulled her behind him, leading her under a fallen tree.  
  
"What? Replied Ginny roughly, trying to see Harry between the branches.  
  
-Let's run away!"  
  
Her eyes became wider, shocked by the young man's words. Was he out of his mind? She looked at his face, dirty with dust, scarred by the endless fights. He definitely looked older than his age. Time and life had not spare him.  
  
"Let's go somewhere else, he insisted, taking hold of her wrist. We cannot win. We are finished!  
  
-How can you talk like that?" Ginny's words were brutal and she pulled her arm away from him. How could he dare wanting to give up? After all, he too, had lost virtually everyone that he cared about! Didn't he want to avenge his parents any more? And what about Sirius, and Dumbledore and Ron and all the Weasleys? Had all their loved ones die for nothing?  
  
"There is no hope left," Harry carried on. With his wand, he got rid of the branch which separated them and moved closer to Ginny, showing her his pleading expression.  
  
"There is still some in me!" shot the young witch, fiercely. She started to get up but Harry refrained her firmly, brutally clutching her hand. He pulled her back next to him. She shot him a deadly look, mildly disgusted by his attitude. "Running away won't change anything, she said, tossing his hand away from hers. At least not for me! There is nothing I can look forward to.  
  
-But you are still alive! Don't you want to stay that way?" Harry could not understand why she was so reluctant to flee. They could go far away from all this, start a new life, be anonymous and happy.  
  
Ginny turned her head towards the battlefield. She could figure out what was going on. The fight was still pretty fierce, but there was no-one close to where they were hiding, well, no-one still alive. Her vision started to blur.  
  
"They are all gone, she murmured her eyes still turned towards the ruined space beyond the tree. I've got no family left.....  
  
-Neither have I! Said Harry, risking his hand on her arm. But we have each other, right? Doesn't that count?"  
  
The young woman turned her head back to him, tears in the corner of her eyes. "What do you mean, we've got each other? You have your life and I mine.  
  
-Sure, but how has your life been, for the last years? And mine? Don't you think that they have pretty much been the same? We have fought to survive, to avenge our friends, to keep something good in this world......We have fought side by side, we have grown to know each other.....  
  
-We had no choice, interrupted Ginny sarcastically.  
  
-True, but the fact is that we have." He remained silent for a while, his eyes turned beyond the branches. He had enough of all this mess, but he wanted to live. Despite everything, despite all these losses he had suffered, he was hungry to stay alive and for that he could not stay here. "I don't want to die, he said, looking back at Ginny. Not just yet."  
  
"How about Hermione? She'll have to come with us. We cannot leave her behind!  
  
-I don't know where she is, said Harry looking evasively back towards the battlefield. I wish I did, but I haven't seen her lately.....  
  
-We have to look for her, said Ginny standing up.  
  
-Does that mean that you will come with me?" Asked Harry, his eyes brightening. He too stood up, branches entering his bare flesh. He pushed them away in order to be able to see Ginny. She managed to look him in the eye and maintain the contact.  
  
"Why do you want me to follow you?  
  
-I have lost far enough people I cared for, reply Harry without hesitation, I don't want to lose you too."  
  
Ginny felt as if an arrow had pierced her heart. She didn't have the time to mourn and grieve for her family, and since they were gone, no-one had spoken so softly to her. She had forgotten the words care and friendship and Harry had just proven to her that those were still applicable. For many years in her life, when she was younger, she had hope to become Harry's interest. But since the Second War had started, she had forgotten how she used to feel for him. Love was not on her agenda. Harry just became a fellow fighter, a fellow survivor.  
  
Now, of course he was virtually the only one remaining close to her, but he still did care for her. He was offering her to run away together. In other circumstances, she would have qualified this as highly romantic. She gave him a small smile. "I don't want to lose you either."  
  
He took her hand and cast an invisible spell on them both before leading her away from the tree. They had to find Hermione. It would not be an easy task. The battle was still going on, the debris of the buildings and the injured wizards lying everywhere meant that it would take them a while yet to find their friend. They also had to avoid spells flying all around them.  
  
"Maybe we should wait for the night, whispered Ginny, staying as close to Harry as possible. They would stop fighting.  
  
-Yes, but we wouldn't see anything, replied Harry. And if we use a light to look for her, it would attract attention. We have no choice but to do so now."  
  
They ran between the ruins, stopping every now and again to check on the identity of the casualties. They went through their fellow fighters, recognising most of them.  
  
"How can we leave them?" murmured Ginny, guilt in her voice. Harry did not answer. Instead he pulled her on the ground with him, behind a half- destroyed wall. Spells were whooshing above them. He moved, on all fours, along the wall, Ginny behind him. She stood up when he did and ran after him, away from the centre of the battle. Harry plunged behind a big fallen stone and Ginny caught up with him. She sat close to him, back on the stone and knees to her chest.  
  
Suddenly Harry let out a little cry. "Oh no!  
  
-What is it?" asked Ginny concerned. Harry was looking away from her, on his other side. She leant towards him, her face extremely close to his, trying to see what he was looking at.  
  
"We've found her," he said simply, sorrow in his voice. Ginny stretched passed him, her hands and feet on either side of him. She refrained from swearing. There, close to them, was a forearm, half buried under the stone. On the wrist was a bracelet Ginny had no problem recognising, for it was a gift from her younger brother to his girlfriend for her eighteenth birthday.  
  
"Hermione!" she muttered with a sorrowful voice. She leant backwards and stared at Harry. He had tears in his eyes but seemed to be trying very hard to contain them. Slowly, he lifted his hand and his fingers brushed Ginny cheeks with an extreme softness. She put her arm around his shoulder and briefly embraced him.  
  
"There just us, now," murmured Harry, lowering his head.  
  
They suddenly heard a groan, close to them. Both turned their head towards the end of their hiding place. Harry almost jumped on his feet and went around the stone. Hopes came flooding back to him as he saw Hermione's upper body emerging from the rock. She had her eyes wide opened and was staring at the sky, barely blinking.  
  
"Hermione?" Harry leant on top of her, forgetting that he was still invisible. Hermione smiled.  
  
"I'm hearing voices, now, she murmured.  
  
-No, Hermione! It's me, Harry!" Ginny moved on the other side of their friend. "You are still invisible, Harry, she said. Let's try to move her somewhere else.  
  
-We'll have to wait until dark, replied Harry, with regrets.  
  
-Are you really here? Asked Hermione in painfully weak voice.  
  
-Yes", said Ginny, brushing her fingers onto her friend's forehead. Hermione smiled and a tear fell out of her eye.  
  
"There is nothing much you can do for me, she said. I'm not going to survive.  
  
-Don't say that! Answered Harry, a bit of anger in his voice. We will get you out of this, I promise. And then, we will go away.  
  
-Harry, look at me! How do you expect me to live? Most of my body has been crushed. I can barely breath...... Are you going to leave?  
  
-Yes! We have enough, replied Harry fiercely. I don't want this life anymore. I want to be able not to worry. I want to lead a proper life.  
  
-Then go now, said Hermione. Don't you wait for me. I won't survive and you know it. I'll only be a burden to your escape. Please, do not delay. Go now! Please!"  
  
Harry felt the distress taking over him. He knew perfectly well that Hermione was right. Looking at her face, he could see the colours leaving her, her cheeks becoming slowly whiter. Still, she was alive. He could not abandon her. Not after all they had been through together. In the name of their long-lasting friendship, he had to remain at her side.  
  
"You will be fine, lied Harry. We'll stay with you until the night comes and then we'll go.  
  
-You are a idiot, Harry!" Cried Hermione, becoming nervous. The strain that she had put in replying to the young man almost made her choke. She started to cough and some blood filtered from her mouth. Ginny wiped it straight away. "For once, could you please listen to me? I'm giving you an order...... Just go! It's still time!......I don't want you to see me die.......I want some dignity......Please!"  
  
She looked distraught. She could not see Harry or Ginny, but both had their hands on her, so that she had known that they were there. She had known that she hadn't been going crazy. She had known that they had come to look for her.  
  
Harry kept quiet for a while. He should have been used to losing his friends by now, but the pain he could feel in his heart at this moment was sharp. He leant towards Hermione and covered her face with kisses. "I will always remember you, he said, showering his friend with his tears. Always."  
  
He drew away from her, not bothering wiping his eyes. Hermione smiled and closed her eyes. "Best of luck, she said. I hope I won't be seeing you again soon!"  
  
Harry stood up while Ginny was saying her goodbyes. He looked around. Day was ending slowly. The sky was red, its light casting only shadows there and then. Tomorrow will be a very sunny day again. Tomorrow, hopefully, they'll be far away.  
  
Ginny came next to him and took his hand. Around them, everything was becoming quiet. The battle was going to be stopped soon. Harry and Ginny would not be there anymore to see who would win it, but they had a slight idea.  
  
"Let's go", he said. They disaparated in a flash and "arrived" in Dover. Harry wanted to go to Africa. He had thought about it for a while, and maybe there, there could be differences they could make to the locals. He didn't know for how long they would remain undisturbed there, but right now, it did not matter. He had not been Voldemort's main target for some time, now. What mattered the most for the Dark Lord was to take over both Worlds. Harry Potter could not stop him and his followers. His side was slowly been wiped out.  
  
Harry and Ginny could not apparate too far. They had to take their journey by stages. But the further they went, the safer they got. They stopped in Marseilles, then Naples and Algiers. They stayed a couple of days in each town to rest. They had to get Muggles clothes, and as they had no Wizard money, let alone Muggle currency, they had to steal something decent to wear and also some food.  
  
"Do you think it's all over for us?" Asked Ginny, one night while they were in Algiers.  
  
They were sitting on a beach, watching the sunset, a bottle of wine between them. For one of the first time in many years, both were starting to feel more relaxed and light-hearted.  
  
Harry turned his head towards his companion and smiled. "What do you mean, is it all over for us? It only started!  
  
-You know what I mean! Replied Ginny, giving him a little punch. Do you think they will come after us?  
  
-I doubt it. They don't know where we are and besides, they probably think that we are dead, too. We shall be safe for a while. I hope so, anyway."  
  
Ginny grabbed the bottle and drunk a little from it. Alcohol was starting to make her jolly. She crawled as to be in front of Harry, blocking the view of the sea from him.  
  
"What did you mean, when you said that it only started? She asked, a cheeky grin on her lips.  
  
-I meant, our new life.....  
  
-So you don't mind me staying with you? You do not mind living with me?  
  
-Ginny! Don't be so silly! I wouldn't have asked you to come with me only to ditch you once we would be safe! Of course I want you to stay with me! What would I do without you?"  
  
They could not see each other very well, for the sun had deserted the sky, but Harry's voice had make Ginny's heart melt. She wasn't quite sure what he meant, but she did not care much. He, once again, did wake that special feeling in her and this time, she was going to make the most out of it.  
  
She leant forward and started to make her way towards him. He did not move, and as her face came closer to his, she saw the smile on his face. And for the very first time, she kissed his lips very briefly, too shy to completely let herself go, and pulled back, not breaking their eye contact.  
  
"Is that all?" asked Harry, disappointed. And before she could reply, he grabbed the back of her head, gently but firmly and gave her a long and feverish kiss. He drew back onto the sand, pulling her with him, not parting her lips, his hands passionately stroking her back and her hair.  
  
Their kisses and embraces lasted until late in the night, punctuated by teenage-like giggles. From then on, life was definitely going to be different and Ginny told herself that, despite everything that had happened, despite what she had once thought, she now had something to look forward to.  
  
The end.  
  
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Hello! This is my very first fiction in English, so I do hope that there aren't too many mistakes and that it is readable. Please, do not hesitate to leave me reviews to let me know what you have thought of it. Cheers! 


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